Well bridging device



June 7, 1955 A. c. HAMILTON, JR

WELL BRIDGING DEVICE S'Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 51. 1951 June 7, 1955 A. c. HAMILTON, JR 7 2,710,065

WELL BRIDGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 31. 1951 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 if 14 n a're w 6. Ham/Ira n, Jr. 5 I INVENTOR ATTORNEW June 7, 1955 A. c. HAMILTON, JR 2,710,065

WELL BRIDGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 51. 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Andrew C. Ham/Hon, Jr.

74 INVENTOR BY I b 0 ATTORNEYS United States Patent WELL BRIDGING DEVICE Andrew C. Hamilton, Jr., Dallas, Tex. Application August 31, 1951, Serial No. 244,657

11 Claims. (Cl. 166-192) This invention relates to newand useful improvements in well bridging devicesf One object of the invention is to provide an improved well bridging device of such construction that a well may be readily bridged at any desired point with minimum effort in a relatively short period of time.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved well bridging device having a container for re ceiving and lowering a bridging material into a well hole together with means for supporting the material unloaded or discharged from the container so as to bridge the well hole at a predetermined point.

Another object of the invention is to provide an proved well bridging device which includes an umbrella suspended from a dump bailer and arranged to dumpor unload the bailer upon being set whereby the bridging material discharged from said bailer is supported by the umbrella.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved well bridging device which includes a dump bailer having a closure in its lower end and means having connection with the closure for supporting the bridging material discharged from the bailer, the supporting-- means resisting upward movement through the fluid so as to be expanded and set by a predetermined upward pull of said bailer to open said closure and permit the dis-- charge of said bridging material whereby accidental or premature opening of the closure is substantially elimi-' nated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved dump bailer having a removable plug closing its lower end and a member having connection with the plug and resistant to upward movement through the fluid in a well hole whereby upon a predetermined upward pull of the bailer, the resistance of the member is sufiicient to remove said plug and dump the contents-of said bailer.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved bridging device, of the character described, wherein the umbrella is adapted to be suspended in close proximity to the dump bailer during dumping of said bailer which is movable away from said umbrella whereby a quick-setting material may be employed to bridge the well hole without any danger of the bailer becoming stuck.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with the other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein examples of the invention are shown, and wherein: I

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a well bridging device, constructed in accordance with the invention, shown being lowered into a well hole, 7

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the lower portion of the device, showing the umbrella expanded and the connec-' tion between said umbrella and the bailer closure,

Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, showing the bailer Patented June 7, 1955 with the plug removed and the connection between the umbrella and bailer,

Fig. 4 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view of the umbrella in its expanded position,

Fig. 5 is-an elevational view of a modified form of well bridging device in a well bore,

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the lower portion of the modified device, showing the umbrella and its supporting means expanded and set and the closure or plug removed from the dump bailer,

Fig. 7 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, showing the connection of the plug to the bailer,

Fig. 8 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view, taken on the line 8'-8 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the supporting means, showing the latch for holding its legs retracted,

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, transverse, vertical, sectional view of the umbrella and its supporting means expanded,

Fig. 11 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view, taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view, taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 10,

Fig. 13 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view, taken on the line 1313 of Fig. 10, and

Fig. 14 is an enlarged, horizontal, cross-sectional view, taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 5.

This application is filed as a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 51,919, filed September- 30, 1948, now abandoned.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a well bridging device which is adapted to be lowered into a well or bore hole A upon a wire line or cable 11. The well hole may be open as shown or may be cased in the conventional manner. Fluid is usually standing in the well hole and its level is indicated by the letter B. The, bridging device 10 includes a dump bailer 12 having a long, tubular container or hollow body 13, formed in one or more sections and attached to the line 11 by a suitable bailer 14. As shown in Fig. 2, a suitable closure or plug 15 closes the lower end or opening of the body 13, the upper end of which may be open. The plug 15 is preferably circular and has a snug or tight fit within the bottom of the body so as to require appreciable force in order to be removed.

An expansible, collapsed supporting member or umbrella 16 is loosely confined or fitted about the lower end of the body and may be of any suitable construction..:: For purposes of illustration, the umbrella 16 has been shown as having an inverted, conical cover 17, of canvas,

rubber, leather or other suitablematerial, mounted upon a plurality of upstanding, radial ribs 18 (Fig. 4). Short radial arms 19 are disposed within the ribs 18 with their outer ends pivotally connectedto the outer end portions of said ribs and their inner ends pivoted to a central connecting ring or element 20. An axial head 21, which eye 23 carried by the plug and is fastened to the ring 20 by a suitable bridle 24. Also, the bridle 24- is attached to the body 13 by a longer line 25 which may be approximately twenty feet in length and which may be secured by a suitable clip 26 carried by said body.

In use, the plugged body of the bailer 12 is preferably filled with a slurry of quick-setting calcined gypsum, gy -v sum cement, or other known materials having a predetermined set, such as quick-set cement, alumonite cement or thermosetting resin. The lines 22 and 25 are attached and coiled with the umbrella 16 prior to loosely confining the latter around the lower end of the body. With the umbrella partially open, the bailer is attached to the Wire line 11 by the bail 14 and lowered into the well hole A to a desired or predetermined depth which is preferably below the fluid level B (Fig. l). The bailer is then raised so as to disengage and move the same away from the umbrella. Since the umbrella is partially open and has the inner ends of its arms 19 connected to the plug 15 by the-short line 22, continued upward movement of the bailer causes upward and outward pivoting of said arms so as to expand the ribs 18 (Fig. 2). This expansion is assisted by the fluid acting against the inner surface of the umbrella cover 17. Usually, the resistance of the umbrella to upward movement through the fluid is sufficient to expand or open the same.

Due to the resistance of the open umbrella, the plug 15 is pulled out of the bottom of the bailer body by continued upward movement of said body so as to open the same and dump or unload the slurry therein. It is noted that the resistance created by the fluid acting against the umbrella is suflicient to disengage the plug and that it is unnecessary for the umbrella to engage the well bore. Manifcstly, the umbrella may be held or supported in a fixed position by the longer line 25. The slurry is dumped onto the umbrella and is supported thereby until set sufiiciently to form a bridge. Although the bailer remains stationary during setting of the slurry, the length of the line 25 permits positioning of said bailer above the bridge to prevent sticking of the bailer therein. The bailer is then raised so as to remove the same from the well bore. Since the slurry has set, the line 25 is broken upon such movement; if desired, however, a weak point 27 may be provided to assure parting of this line. Additional material may be dumped upon the bridge to build the same to the desired thickness or height.

In addition to placing a cementitious plug, the bridging device may be used to form bridges of gravel, crushed stone, marble or other loose material. When the bailer reaches the desired depth, it is raised and the resistance of the open umbrella to such movement through the fluid expands said umbrella suificiently to create the drag necessary to pull out the plug. The material in the bailer is dumped onto the iunbrella and forms a bridge due to the frictional engagement of the mass with the well bore. If desired, additional material may be dumped upon this bridge after removal of the bailer, in the manner desired hereinbefore. A bridge of. this type is desirable in a well making gas which prevents most 'cementitious materials from'setting. The use of hard stone or other hard materials, such as hard dolomite, in forming a bridge is advantageous in side tracking holes or setting whipstocks. Of. course, a bridge of calcined gypsum also will sidetrack a bit.

In cased well holes or in open holes having no fluid, it is desirable toprovide the ribs 18 of the umbrella with pointed or barbed ends 28 whereby the same are in the nature of spears (Fig. 4). When the umbrella is moved upwardly in a well hole, the spears may catch on joints in cased wells or tend to embed themselves in the formation so as to expand said umbrella. The rounded nose or lower end of the head 21 prevents the umbrella from catching on joints or irregularities upon lowering of the bridging device.

In Figs. through 14, a modified form of device 30 is shown and includes a similar dump bailer 31 in the iorm of'a long, tubular body or container adapted to be lowered into a well hole C by a wire line 32 connected to the body by a suitable bail 33. The well hole C has casing D suspended therein and its lower portion is usually filled with fluid. A suitable closure or plug 34 closes the lower end of the body (Figs. 7 and the upper end of which is preferably open. The P111534 cylindrical, being of greater length than the plug 15, and its upper portion has a snug, sliding fit in the smooth bore of a short sleeve or box 35 attached to the lower end of the body by a coupling collar 36 and forming the discharge opening of said body. An O-ring 37 encircles the upper portion of the plug to seal off between said plug and the bore of the box 36. For connecting the plug to an umbrella 38, similar to the umbrella 16, a short tube or sleeve 39 depends from said plug in snug, telescoping relation to its lower portion below the box. The upper endof the sleeve 39 is held in engagement with the lower end of the box by a coiled spring 40 fastened to the bottom of the plug by a screw eye 41 and to a pin or rod 42 extending across the lower portion of said sleeve above its lower end.

Asshown in Fig. 7, the plug is detachably connected to the box by upright, radial dogs or latches 43 engaging in an annular, internal groove 44 formed in the lower end of the box bore. The latches 43 are angular and are pivotally mounted in arcuate, substantially complementary recesses 45 by transverse pins 46 (Figs. 10 and 11). outwardly-directed bills or lugs 47 and 43 are provided at the upper and lower ends of the latches and the upper lugs 47 project into the groove 44 and are held therein (Fig. 8) when the lower lugs 48 are confined by the sleeve 39 telescoping the plug. It is noted that the pivot pins 46 are ofiset outwardly relative to the longitudinal axes of the latches, whereby the lugs 47 swing inwardly and the lugs 48 outwardly when said latches are unconfined (Fig. 10). The arcuate shape of the-recess 45 limits the swing or outward projection of the lugs. As shown by the numeral 49, the lower face of each lug 47 is inclined upwardly relative to the lower wall of the groove 44 so as to facilitate disengagement of the lug upon upward movement of the plug relative to the sleeve. Manifestly, when the upward pull of the body is sufiicient to overcome the resistance of the spring 40, the plug moves upwardly relative to the sleeve so as to uncover the lugs 48 and permit projection or outward swinging of said lugs. Since the lugs 47 are retracted or swung inwardly out of engagement with the groove, the plug is disconnected from the box 35 and remains stationary with the sleeve and umbrella 38 upon continued upward movement of the body and box. The plug and sleeve are held in the relative positions shown in Fig. 10

by the force of the spring urging said sleeve upwardly against the projecting lugs 48 and said spring serves to connect said plug to the umbrella. From the foregoing, it is obvious that a predetermined upward pull is required to remove the plug and that it is virtually impossible to accidently or prematurely remove said plug.

Theumbrella 38 is in the form of an expansible, collapsed supporting member and preferably has a cover 50, similar to the cover 17, supported by and having its upper, outer margin attached to a plurality of upstanding, flat ribs 51. The lower ends of the ribs are hinged or pivotally mounted in a circular plate 52 at the lower end of the sleeve 39. A circular block 53 is fastened in the lower end of the sleeve below the transverse pin 42 by suitable screws 54 and an axial screw-threaded rod or bolt 55 extends therethrough. A nut 56 on the upper end of the rod overlies the block 53 and the plate 52 is confined upon said rod below said block. The lower margin of the block extends below the lower end of the sleeve and preferablyis reduced in diameter to provide an external, annular recess 57 for receiving the lower, inner margin of the cover 50. A11 inverted, conical, guide nose 58 is mounted on the lower end of the rod 55.

The operation of this form of the invention is substantially the same as that ,describedhereinbefore. The modilied device 30 is lowered into the well hole C with its parts in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 7. Suitable material is contained in the bailer 31 which is supported by the wire line, 32 and bail 33 and which has its lower end closed by the plug 34 due to the engagement of the latch lugs 47 in the groove 44-of the box 35, When the desired depth is reached, preferably and usually below the fluid level, the bailer is raised and the resistance of the umbrella to this upward movement expands or opens the same through the fluid. When the resistance of the umbrella to the upward movement throughthe fluid becomes suflicient to overcome the force of the spring 40, the plug moves upwardly relative to the sleeve 39 to uncover and release the latches 43 so as to permit pivoting of said latches which retracts the lugs 47' and projects the lugs 48. Continued upward movement of the bailer removes the plug from the box (Fig. '6) to permit dumping of the bridging material onto the umbrella. It is noted that the opening of the umbrella is independent of the same engaging the well bore. 1 If desired, the upper end of the plug may be connected to the bailer body by a suitable screw eye'59 and a weak, breakable line 60 for supporting theumbrella during dumping of the bridging material. It is pointed out, however, that this supportingconnection is not essential and its use is optional, since the umbrella may be employed merely as a means of removing the plug by fluid resistance upon a predetermined upward pull of the bailer.

-It is sometimes desirable to provide the umbrella with an underlying support 61 in place of the line-60 The support 61 includes depending radial arms or legs 62 having their upper ends pivotally connected to a circular head 63 mounted on the intermediate portion of the rod 55 between the plate 52 and nose 59 (Fig. The head 63 is supported upon the rod by a nut 64 and has an axial, upstanding shank portion 65 hearing against the underside of the plate. An upwardly-directed thimble or skirt member 66 is confined upon the shank portion 63 with itsupper margin encircling the plate to enclose the space between the head and plate. As most clearly shown in Fig. l3, transverse pivot pins 67 and depending lugs.

68 connect the legs 62 to the head. The lower ends of the legs are bevelled at their inner edge portions to pro.

For urging the legs outwardly, a coiled spring 70 has its upper end connected to an eye 71 made integral with the upper end of each leg inwardly of its pivot pin 67 and its lower end fastened to a book 72 carried by the rod 55. A spacer sleeve 73 is interposed between the hook 72 and the nut 64 for maintaining the springs 70 in tension.

A retaining element or block 74 is supported on the rod by a nut 75 immediately below the hook and above the nose 58. The upper portion of the block 74 is of enlarged diameter and has radial slots 76 therein for receiving the lower portions of the legs 62 which are confined by a flat strap 77 encircling the lower portion of said block. A depending screw 78 is threaded in the underside of the enlarged upper portion of the block for securing one end of the strap 77 thereto and the other end of said strap is detachably fastened by a latch pin 79 extending through an opening 80 in said head portion adjacent the screw (Figs. 9, 10 and 14). The upper portion of the latch pin 79 is oflset inwardly and extends upwardly through the head 64 (Fig. 13), skirt member 65, plate 52, in block 53 (Fig. 12) and the bore of the sleeve 39. The upper extremity of the latch pin is screw-threaded in the lower end of the plug 34 and is held against displacement by a lock nut 81. Due to this arrangement, upward relative movement of the plug disengages the latch pin from the strap whereby the retracted legs are pivoted outwardly by the force of the springs 70 into engagement with the well bore or casing. The support 61 assures setting of the umbrella in cased and uncased or open well holes since the legs embed in well bores and engage in the joints of casing. It is noted that when the support is employed, the rod 55 is of sufficient length to accommodate said support and dispose the nose 58 below the lower ends of the retracted legs.

The foregoing description of the inventionis explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as'in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A well bridging device including, a container for material adapted to be lowered in a Well hole having fluid therein, a closure at the lower end of the container, and an 'expansible member having connection with the closure and surrounding the lower end of said container so as to be directly below and movable downwardly with said container,'the member being expanded by and resisting upward movement through the fluid so as to open said closure upon upward movement of said container and dump said material, said expanded member being below the open lower end of said raised container to receive and support the dumped material.

I 2. A well bridging device including, a container for material adapted to be lowered in a well hole having fluid therein, closure means at the lower end of thecontainer, and expansible upwardly-opening means having connection with the closure means and surrounding the lower end of said body so as to be directly below and movable downwardly with said container, the expansible means being expanded by and resisting upward movement through the fluid for opening the closure means to dump the material upon upward movement of said container, said expanded means being below the open lower end of said raised container to receive and support the dumped maend of said body so as to be directly below and movable downwardly with said body, the member having upwardly. facing expansible means resisting upward movement through the fluid so that said body is movable upwardly fromsaid member due to the fluid resistance of said member and independent of its engagement with the well" bore, and means connecting the plug to said member so as to remove said plug from said body upon a predeter mined upward pull of said body, the upwardly-facing means of said member being expanded by relative upward" movement of said body and being disposed below the open lower end of said raised body to receive and support" the dumped material.

4. A well bridging device including, a tubular body adapted to be lowered into a well hole containing fluid, a closure for the lower end of the body, a collapsed support below and surrounding the lower end of said body so as to be lowered with said body into the well hole, the support resisting upward movement through the fluid so as to be expanded upon upward movement of said body whereby said body is movable upwardly from said expanded support and the latter is disposed below the open lower end of said raised body, means connecting the support to the closure for opening said closure and dumping the contents of said body onto said support upon continued upward movement of said body relative to said support, and means attaching said support to said body for sustaining said support during dumping of the body contents.

5. A well bridging device including, a dump bailer containing a bridging material, a removable closure for the bottom of the bailer, a partially open umbrella loosely confined upon the lower end of said bailer so as to be lowered therewith into a well hole, the umbrella being expanded upon upward movement of said bailer, and a line extending between the closure and umbrella for removing said closure and dumping the bridging material onto said umbrella to form a bridge upon upward movement of said bailer relative to said umbrella, and a line of greater length attaching said umbrella to said bailer to support said umbrella and permit limited upward movement of said bailer above the bridge without breaking the connection between said bailer and umbrella.

6. A 'well bridging device including, a container for receiving and lowering a bridging material into a well hole containing fluid, means closing the lower end of the container, an expansible upwardly-directed umbrella,

said umbrella is expanded and opens said closing means upon upward movement of said container so as to dump the bridging material onto said umbrella, said umbrella remaining attached to said container by said connecting means so as to be supported during the dumping of said bridging material.

7. A well bridging device including, a container for receiving andilowering a bridging material into a well, a plug closing the lower end of the container, an umbrella, a line connecting the umbrella to the plug, a second and longer line connecting said umbrella to said container, whereby said umbrella is suspended from and lowered into the well bore with said container and whereby limited upward movement of said container relative to said umbrella is permitted, said umbrella being opened and said plug removed upon initial relative movement of saidrcontainer to dump the bridging material onto said umbrella, the longer line retaining the connection between said umbrella and container during the dumping of said bridging material to support said umbrella.

8. A well bridging device including, a tubular body for lowering material in a well hole containing fluid, a plug closing the lower end of the body, latch means releasably connecting the plug to said body, an expansible upwardlydirected umbrella connected to the plug and surrounding the lower end of said body so as to be directly below and lowerable with said body, the umbrella resisting and being expanded by upward movement through the fluid whereby said body is movable upwardly from said umbrella, and releasing means carried by the umbrella and operable upon upward movement of said body to release said latch means whereby said plug is removed and the material dumped onto said expanded umbrella upon such upward movement due to the fluid resistance of said umbrella and irrespective of its engagement with the well bore.

9. A well bridging device including, a tubular body for lowering material in a well hole containing fluid, a plug closing the lower end of the body, a latch releasably connecting the plug to said body, an 'expansible upwardlydirected umbrella directly below and lowerable with said body, the umbrella resisting andbeing expanded by upward movement through the fluid, and sleeve means connecting said plug to said umbrella and being movable relative to said plug, the sleeve means confining the latch in engagement and releasing said latch upon upward movement of said body whereby said plug is removed and the material dumped.

10. A dump bailer including a tubular body for lowering material in .a well hole containing fluid, a plug closing the lower end of the body, and an expansible upwardlydirected member having connection with the plug and surrounding the lower end of said body so as to be directly below and lowered with said body, the member being expanded by and resisting upward movement through the fluid whereby said body is movable upwardly from said member due to the fluid resistance of said member and independent of its engagement with the well bore, the connection between said plug and member removing said plug from said body upon a predetermined upward movement of said body relative to said member to dump the material, the expanded member being disposed below the open lower end of said raised body to receive and support the dumped material.

11. A well bridging device including a tubular body containing material adapted to be lowered in a well hole having fluid therein, a plug closing the lower end of the body, expansible upwardly-directed umbrella means surrounding the lower end of said body so as to be directly below and lowered with said body, the umbrella means resisting upward movement through the fluid so that said body is movable upwardly from said member, and means connecting the -plug to said umbrella means so as to remove said plug from said body upon a predetermined upward movement of said body to dump the material, said umbrella means being expanded by relative upward movement of said body and being disposed below the open lower end of said raised body to receive and support the dumped material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,565 Taylor Sept. 10, 1940 2,189,445 Dale Feb. 6, 1940 2,253,224 Bleakley Aug. 19, 1941 2,577,610 Deupree Dec. 4, 1951 

